AT&T Must Give Shareholders a Vote on Network Neutrality, SEC Decides

The Securities and Exchange Commission told AT&T and other telecommunications companies they must include a resolution supporting wireless network neutrality in annual shareholder votes.

In a letter posted on the SEC website, the agency asserted that network neutrality -- the idea that Internet service providers must treat traffic equally -- has become a “significant policy consideration” and can no longer be excluded from shareholder ballots. AT&T, Verizon Communications and Sprint Nextel must now grant shareholder requests for votes this year on resolutions that would support network neutrality. The shareholder resolution would recommend each company “publicly commit to operate its wireless broadband network consistent with network neutrality principles,” the letter said. The companies should not discriminate based on the “source, ownership or destination” of data sent over their wireless infrastructure.